Shirley Brown - A Profile...

Shirley Brown is celebrating her 75th birthday today. Born on 6th Jan. 1947 in West Memphis, AK. but raised in Madison, IL. she is best known for her million seller and deep soul classic "Woman To Woman" which spawned many 'answer' songs in response. Unfortunately for Brown, Stax was in financial difficulties around the time of it's release and collapsed the following year and her song proved to be Stax's last hit which probably stunted her career somewhat.

I've posted her full discography and a playlist of 32 of what I consider are her some of her best tracks. There are plenty of others not included.

She was discovered by blues legend Albert King when she was 14 singing in a club and she toured with him for nine years. 

Her first solo recording came in 1972 on Abet "I Ain't Gonna Tell" / "Love Built on a Strong Foundation" produced by Oliver Sain who later recommended her to Stax Records in 1974. The first single sank without trace not even entering the R&B chart. However, her next single, released on the Stax subsidiary Truth, was to become a world wide hit which unfortunately she was never able to surpass. Another couple of singles appeared on Truth along with her debut album "Woman To Woman". 

In 1977 she joined Arista and her first single was "Blessed Is The Woman (With A Man Like Mine)" which reached #14 on R&B chart (her second biggest hit which was sampled earlier this year by Ari Lennox on "Pressure"), followed by a further three singles (only two of which charted R&B) and a self-titled album. 

In 1977 the Stax back catalogue was acquired by Fantasy and by 1978 they relaunched the label and Brown was re-signed and released two singles and an album "For The Real Feeling" all in 1979. 

Throughout the 80s she recorded singles sporadically for various labels such as 20th Century-Fox, Mercury, Sound Town (also an album "Intimate Storm"), Ichiban, Black Diamond and finally Malaco where she settled recording several singles and albums from 1989 until her last recording in 2009.

Albums

Eleven of her thirteen albums are available on Spotify, her second album (and probably her best) has been posted in full on YouTube and the other is not available anywhere but I believe that it's simply a compilation of tracks taken from her first four Malaco albums, hence the tracks are available elsewhere. Her self-titled second album is not available digitally and had never been reissued until Soul Brother reissued it on CD in 2007.

1974 - Woman To Woman [Truth #TRS 4206] - Full Album HERE

1977 - Shirley Brown [Arista #AL 4129] - Full Album HERE

1979 - For The Real Feeling [Stax #STX-4126] - Full Album HERE

1985 - Intimate Storm [Sound Town #ST-8008] - Full Album HERE

1989 - Fire And Ice [Malaco #MAL 7451] - Full Album HERE

1991 - Timeless [Malaco #MAL 7459] - Full Album HERE

1993 - Joy And Pain [Malaco #MAL 7467] - Full Album HERE

1995 - Diva Of Soul [Malaco #MCD 7476] - Full Album HERE

1997 - The Soul Of A Woman [Malaco #MCD 7486] - Full Album HERE

1998 - Three Way Love Affair [601 Music #SXCD 3106]

NB I believe that this is just a compilation of tracks from her first four Malaco albums

2000 - Holding My Own [Malaco #MCD 7503] - Full Album HERE

2004 - Woman Enough [Malaco #MCD 7517] - Full Album HERE

2009 - Unleashed [Malaco #MCD 7535] - Full Album HERE

Singles

Tracks prefixed with an asterisk are non-album tracks. There are a couple that I could find no soundfiles for "Givin ' Up" and ""Urgent", but "Shootin' A Blank" is a lo-fi recording, so if you can help with any of these it would be appreciated.

Abet

1971/09 - *I Ain't Gonna Tell / *Love Is Built On A Strong Foundation [Abet #A-9444]

Truth

1974/08 - Woman To Woman / *Yes Sir Brother [Truth #TRA-3206]

1975/04 - It Ain't No Fun / I've Got To Go On Without You [Truth #TRA-3223]

1975/11 - *It's Worth A Whippin' / Between You And Me [Truth #TRA-3231]

Arista

1977/02 - Blessed Is The Woman (With A Man Like Mine) / *Lowdown, Dirty, Good Lover [Arista #AS 01231]

1977/06 - I Need Somebody To Love Me / Givin' Up [Arista #AS 0254]

1977/09 - *A Mighty Good Feeling / Long On Lovin' [Arista #AS 0270]

1978 - *I Can't Move No Mountains / *Honey Babe [Arista #AS 0334]

Stax

1979 - After A Night Like This / Crowding In On My Mind [Stax #STX-3222]

1979 - Dirty Feelin' / Eyes Can't See [Stax #STX-3224]

20th Century-Fox

1981/02 - *Same Time, Same Place / *You've Got To Like What You Do [20th Century-Fox #TC-2483]

Mercury

1983 - *Urgent / *Urgent [Mercury #DJ 579] (Promo only)

Sound Town

1984 - Leave The Bridges Standing / Looking For The Real Thing [Sound Town #ST 0005] 

1984/08 - I Don't Play That / Looking For The Real Thing [Sound Town #ST 0007]

1984/11 - This Use To Be Your House / I Don't Play That [Sound Town #ST 0009]

1985 - Boyfriend / I Don't Play That [Sound Town #ST 0012]

Ichiban

1986 - *Shootin' A Blank / *Shootin' A Blank (Rap) [Ichiban #86-109]

Black Diamond

1988 - If This Is Goodbye / *After Tonight [Black Diamond #BD 7-1001]

Malaco

1989 - Ain't Nothin Like The Lovin We Got (with Bobby Womack) / If This Is Goodbye [Malaco #MAL 2157]

1990 - Take Me To Your Heart / King Size Love [Malaco #MAL 2160]

1991 - Still In Love / Lovin Too Soon [Malaco #MAL 2171]

1994 - Hearts Are Made To Be Loved / 'Bout To Make Me Leave Home [Malaco #MAL 2196]

1995 - You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man / Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is [Malaco #MAL 2300]

1997 - Don't Go Lookin For My Man / Female Player [Malaco #MAL 2329]